Council of Europe

The Council of Europe was set up in 1949 to defend human rights, parliamentary democracy and the rule of law, develop continent-wide agreements to standardise member countries' social and legal practices, and to promote awareness of a European identity based on shared values and cutting across different cultures. The protection of human rights is one of the Council of Europe's basic goals, to be achieved in four main areas: effective supervision and protection of fundamental rights and freedoms; identifying new threats to human rights and human dignity; developing public awareness of the importance of human rights; promoting human rights education and professional training.